April 2016 babies - 20-week scans, growing bumps and little kicks!

[suffolkblonde29]

Hi all,

I've started a new thread to take us up to the third trimester.

Hope you are all feeling well. I feel like my bump is a little small and I'm not feeling lots of movement (but this may be due to an anterior placenta). Got my 20-week scan tomorrow so not long to wait to see if everything's ok - it's actually nearly 22 weeks though as baby really wasn't playing ball when we went last week and was hiding with its back to the scanner.

Getting excited that I'm halfway there though...

Thanks all, I'm excited to see how big they estimate her at. Last scan she was 4lb 5oz at 30 weeks and well over the 95th percentile! Scary as DD was 5lb 15oz at 40 weeks so I'm not sure what to expect birthing a big baby.

Is anyone else absolutely exhausted? I will find out if I need the transfusion tomorrow for my anemia as it's continued to drop further which I'm sure doesn't help but I'm just absolutely shattered. DP has just left for his two weeks away as well and I'm going to struggle I think juggling the housework and DD alone. I'm so glad we're into the final stretch now as my body is really feeling the strain. It still feels surreal though that we will be having babies soon!

This baby was similar at 29wks and on 97th percentile they estimated it will be 10lb at term. My smallest baby was 8lb and biggest 10lb 13oz. My bigger babies have been my easiest births, I think gravity helps! Tbh I think it's the position of the baby that is more important than size when delivering ie not back to back etc.

Yes also feeling tired and am anaemic, not as much as you though. Having to be careful standing up ie not too quickly as low blood pressure making me faint. Thankfully dh job now means he doesn't go away too much and though it's still shift work his new shifts are so much better with a set pattern and set days off, if he was at his old workplace I think I would be on my knees by now. As it is he us being a star and has just taken youngest four out and I am goung to have a bath in an attempt to ease my rib pain.

Do you have any frirnds or family nearby who can help crumbly just do the bare minimum and I would even pay for a cleaner to come and do stuff like hoovering. Bathroom cleaning etc if I could afford it.

That's really reassuring to hear they were really good births for you madthings. I had a second degree tear with DD but I think it's because she came out so quickly which might not be an issue with a bigger baby.
I have my mum and MIL who are always willing to help out luckily. I would be fine if DD wasn't so unsettled at night at the moment, think it will only get worse with DP away as she's gotten used to having him at home. I will manage, just will probably be a walking zombie by the end. Luckily I've not had an issue with fainting despite the anemia, that doesn't sound good at all. Have a lovely long soak and rest up.

34+3 and so tired today for some reason. I'm not anemic, thank goodness, though I do have borderline low Ferratin which they will test again at 36 weeks but have told me just to stick with the normal pregnancy vitamins for now.

Ironically after asking the fb group on Thursday why people got growth scans, I had to have one on Friday due to bump measurement not aligning with the rest on the chart. Baby is fine though and though and well on track to be totally average weight. Must have just had an initial growth spurt OR was sitting awkwardly. According to the Ultrasound lady she was being an acrobat - she's head down, bum on my right side feet mostly on the left but in the scan one leg was down near the head and the other up at 90 degrees.

THis is also my last week at work - 35 weeks is quite early but the first 3 weeks are annual leave which if I don't take I lose and hopefully will gie me some prep time. I admit that most of the clothes we have are washed already but it's also to do with being oddly ahead with the laundry and needing to make up loads! And after months of stressing about having our garage and furniture moved out of the baby room, it got done very fast!

ALso my husband had an oddly motivated moment and put the cot up which is already sitting at the side of the bed. On one hand, it gets it used to being there. On the flipside, it makes getting up in the middle of the night for the loo a bit more of a challenge. Haha!

Getting excited to meet her and feeling pretty optimistic, despite discomforts!

DH and me have been feeling a bit sorry for ourselves and ended up crying together about how hard the pregnancy's been. We went to our first NCT class so lots of people at the same stage as us and it really brought it home how much better they are doing physically. I think it's harder on him because he has to do so much to look after me, I'm sort of resigned but it makes me sad because of the effect on him.

I can't stand for more than a few minutes at a time because of the pain so I'm not really able to do much. I think the pelvic girdle pain is so bad due to previous back injury. We just tried to go to the shops and it all went wrong due to nowhere to sit. I think it just brought it all back how things were when I first hurt my back, and because I've never been properly recovered since it's even worse. I'm hoping after the baby comes I can make time, since I'm leaving my job, to throw myself into physio and exercise and hopefully get well again. I hope the next few weeks pass quickly - 34 weeks now so could be as much as 8 weeks, which feels like forever stuck inside the house! Spent a lot of less than 5 minute periods getting stuff done this afternoon though, we might even have a nursery before she gets here which would be fabulous as her stuff is starting to take over the house.

I can't wait until she's safely here, all this is setting off DH's anxiety so he's nervous something will go wrong at the birth. I actually feel weirdly confident about birth, but constantly nervous something will go wrong before then, probably because we have waited quite a while to get pregnant and it's hard to feel certain we are really actually getting a baby.

NCT seem like a nice bunch of people though, though the leader isn't doing a great job of suppressing her biases - she's very anti-hospital and keeps telling us how horrid it will be in hospital especially if we do what the midwives/doctors advise.

Sorry you are having a rough time of it ComeLuckyApril and your DH too. In my experience, pregnancy is by far the worst bit, even more so when you're struggling physically as you are.

How is everyone else sleeping? Im sleepy, but keep waking. Had to go to pee 3 times before I could settle in bed, then I was up again through the night. My daughter is recovering from an op. She was under general anaesthetic for the first time and I can't believe how weak she still is. She was up through the night and has a temp.

Only 2 weeks now though until DH is home! I'm on the home stretch .

I got such a buzz turning over the calendar this morning. March is here! This is the month we start meeting babies. Hooray!

Truth is I'm not sure how often I wake up any more and I'm not always sure it's always because I need to wee. But I go anyway just in case. Mostly have no trouble falling back to sleep again though. Have had the occasional wake up due to indigestion which takes a bit longer to clear or reflux.

It also seems like husband's snoring has gotten worse recently, but I can't tell if I'm sleeping lighter/dropping off later so am hearing it/noticing it or whether he's jsut turned into some sort of cement mixer. The usual ear plug wearing does not help though

Thanks :)

I hope your daughter's feeling better tonight.

Hmmm, sleeping, I remember that. I wake up when I need to turn over briefly, rearrange cushions etc. Then I think about 5 times ish to get up, go for wee, drink more water (continuing the cycle I know but I get very thirsty and it seems to keep the leg cramps away if I drink lots). Very glad I'm on maternity leave so don't have to be awake anywhere.

Scan went really well, baby weighing in at approximately 4lbs 15oz. Didn't really get to see my consultant though, but baby is breech so I have another growth scan in two weeks again. Feeling really emotional and feeling sorry for myself at the moment. Trying to pull myself together to get organised but it's just not happening.

Hope your DD is feeling better soon Mazzle and try to take it easy ComeLucky, it's an emotionally charged time at the moment but not long now!

crumbly that's good news that you're having another scan and the baby could still turn? Either way at least you'll know...

I'm totally with you on feeling emotional and sorry for yourself... Work has been keeping me going through the joyous symptoms of late pregnancy but this is my penultimate week and i've ended up with a crippling chest infection and being signed off by the gp for the week... Plus the morning sickness has returned with a vengeance and I feel very uncomfortable all round...

The idea of another 5-7wks of this is hard to bear...

How is everyone else coping?

So far this week I am just about coping. Worked my socks off though and tomorrow my client shall file (thanking my lucky stars now). It's all hands on deck with everyone ploughing through work to make sure we are done. I came home at 4am and DH was mightily pissed off this morning that I worked so late. I'm more annoyed that he was annoyed. I got to go home. My colleagues have all worked through the night and will probably work through tonight too. It's frustrating because in his job he arrives at 8 and leaves at 4:30. There are no real deadlines like we have. My client doesn't file, trading of their securities are halted on the exchanges.

I am so excited for the weekend. I'm taking DD into the city (NYC for us) and she has asked to go in on the bus and come home on the train. I'm taking her to the child's museum and then tea at the American Doll store.

That sounds like such a lovely way to spend your weekend Want2B.

We are going to the cinema tomorrow to see Kung Fu Panda 3 tomorrow morning. My youngest has the nursery toy home for the weekend, so the pressure is on to get out and about with it!

I'm curious as to how big this baby is, as at no point has this been mentioned. I've checked over my notes and there's nothing there! I should have asked at my last scan.

So it's reading week and DDs school have had mystery readers in each day. I got up at 5am and worked until 7 so I could read to her class. It worked out great and I am so thankful they celebrate this way rather than bothering with costumes and other activities which take up far too much time.

I have my next scan in a week and they will tell me how big she is. I don't think she is particularly huge like my son was. I expect her to be no more than 9lbs at term so now no more than 7lbs. Obviously if she is bigger then it's eviction time.

crumbly Keep your chin up. The end stages of pregnancy are hard because you are exhausted and there is the impending birth always on your mind. Just try to relax and go with the flow. It also really helps to find a warm pool to get into. We have a local therapy pool for elderly people that is just bliss. It's salt water so you feel weightless.

Mazzle do you have your scan report? Mine had her estimated weight on it in grams under 'EFW'

Happy mothers day!

I've checked the scan report and although it mentions head circumference and leg length, there's nothing about estimated weight.

I'm due three weeks on Fri! I haven't any other appointments between now and my arrival at the hospital. Can't remember if this is the norm in the final stage. Is everyone else the same?

I still haven't finalised names! There's just nothing that I'm that keen on, or all the ones I love don't go with DH's surname!

As a first timer my appointments are every other week until 40, then weekly. Next one is 36 week one on Thursday. They see you more first time around though right?

I would double check that Mazzle, I'm consultant led so not 100% but that sounds a bit rubbish as you could develop high BP or any other complications between now and then with no checks. Also if you Google fetal measurements calculator you can find some that give you an idea of what those measurements equal in weeks and you might even be able to work out the EFW depending on the measurements they gave you.

We're waiting until we see her for names as we simply can't decide. Got an appointment through for a consultation about DD's tonsil which has a growth on which she needs biopsied - it's four days before my due date and at a hospital an hour away. I will most likely have had baby by then so we'll see how juggling a newborn with all of that goes!

In the US after week 36 you are seen each week. I would want an appointment each week as my first two pregnancies went downhill rapidly at 36/37 weeks.

mazzle you should be seen every two weeks from 34wks even for second or subsequent baby. My notes has a list of app I should have and it lists them st 34, 36,38, 40 wks. Then 41 wks to think about options re induction

Hope you are all well I need to read back and catch up properly bit am a bit zonked on Co codomol as o fell and hurt my pelvis sat eve. Spent most of Sunday bring checked out and am back at hospital thu 8:40am for full check of my pelvis. Think it's just badly bruised and the fall has caused my spd to flare up. Annoying as he'll as it's been fine this pregnancy. I was still riding my bike everyday etc. So my top tip, don't run in the rain, you will slip on a patch of sodden grass.

Oh no madthings. Well the school bus didn't pick up DS this morning so I ended up walking about a mile to his school and another 4 blocks to the bus stop. I had to wait about 20 mins for the bus. Finally got on and a lovely lady gave me her seat wishing me happy Womens day!

So I've never been close to labour let alone in labour. I've had huge downward pressure all day. I'm resting on the sofa (DH has ordered me not to work and has hidden my work bag) and I still feel kinda funny with loads of pressure downwards, if that makes any sense.

I'm consultant lead too crumbly, but I think there's been crossed wires. Consultant must think I'm seeing MW regularly and MW thinks I'm seeing consultant.

Will phone tomorrow. They have this frustrating system where I leave a message asking for an appt, they don't call back, I call again, they call back and leave me a message... and so on it goes! And the clinics are usually fully booked. Last pregnancy I resorted to buying my own blood pressure monitor and urine test sticks!

I have that downward pressure too Want2B! It feels like I have a bowling ball down there. It's awkward to walk/bend and I keep getting twinges as if baby is hitting a nerve. DH still away for another week yet and he's at the other side of the world!

We went into the hospital last night because I was peeing every 15-20mins along with the huge downward pressure. Everything was fine. They really don't want me having a VBAC as I've had 2 CSs. I see the specialist unit on Friday for another round of scans. Ive also been told to stop work. I have to sort it out but I'm really close to closing out with my client anyway.

Sympathise with the downward pressure.

I've been up on and off all night with tummy ache and lower back ache. I'm hoping it's just the start of a tummy bug or me being worn out from doing too much rather than my body getting ready. I'm not ready for it coming for at least another week yet.

I'm supposed to be walking DD on to preschool at 9 am but at the moment don't feel I've got the energy so I've text my friend who lives around the corner to help. Although she may not wake and see the text in time.

I had a midwife appt on Fri that was my 36 week appt (I was 35+3). I don't have another one now until 40 weeks (when I'm 39+3). I do have a growth scan when I'm 38+1 though. My midwife always falls on a Friday so I could have had a 38wk appt but she didn't see much point with having the scan 4 days later. The Friday after the scan is easter Friday so no appts. It feels a while to go without seeing her but at least I'll be having the scan and consultant in between.

Struggling to get back to sleep but that could be that poorly tummies is one of my anxiety/panic attack triggers. Vicious cycle. May distract myself with a book for a bit

Had my scan. She is 7lb11oz and I am 37 weeks tomorrow. No change in CS date sadly.